7 of the Healthiest Foods You Should Be Eating But Aren't

On top of delivering a raft of cancer-fighting antioxidants, kale is one of the vegetable world’s top sources of vitamin A, which promotes eye and skin health and may help strengthen the immune system. It’s a good source of heart-healthy fiber and a 1-cup serving has almost as much vitamin C as an orange. What’s not to love?

Crispy Kale With Lemon-Yogurt Dip

Roast kale with extra-virgin olive oil and garlic until it's crunchy to create this healthy kind of potato chip.

Sardines are one of the best sources of heart-healthy, mood-boosting omega-3 fats, and they’re packed with vitamin D. And because sardines are small and low on the food chain, they don’t harbor lots of toxins as bigger fish can.

Grilled Sardines with Herbed Fennel-and-Olive Salad

Sardines cook quickly because they're an oily fish and in this recipe they are topped with a tangy salad.

This vibrant fruit is chock–full of antioxidants, natural chemicals found in plants that mop up harmful free radicals, which damage tissues and might contribute to a variety of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Don’t have time to prepare the fruit? You can get many of the same benefits from drinking a glass of pomegranate juice!

Endive & Pomegranate Salad

Please your guests with the contrasting textures and flavors of crunchy Belgian endives, juicy oranges and tart ruby-red pomegranate seeds. The addition of cooked shrimp makes this an elegant first course.

Oatmeal has 4 grams of fiber per cup and research suggests that increasing your intake of soluble fiber by 5 to 10 grams each day could result in a 5 percent drop in “bad” LDL cholesterol. Also, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, eating a breakfast made with “slow-release” carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, three hours before you exercise might help you burn more fat.

Quinoa is a delicately flavored whole grain packed with fiber and protein and, to top it off, it only takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook. That combination of fiber and protein has an extra value too: research shows that the two together can help you feel full for longer.

Quinoa Salad With Sugar Snap Peas

Put your newly purchased quinoa to use with this salad, which is perfect for a packed lunch.

Think yogurt in a glass. This drinkable fermented dairy beverage is packed with beneficial probiotics that may help give your immune system a little extra edge, plus 29 percent of your daily value of calcium per 8-ounce serving. Look for it in your supermarket’s dairy section; choose plain for less sugar and fewer calories or fresh fruit flavors, such as peach and raspberry, for extra taste.

Banana Spice Smoothie

This healthy banana smoothie is made with vanilla kefir and spiked with warming spices.

Lentils are a versatile, budget-friendly and healthy addition to many dinner recipes. A half-cup of cooked lentils contains over 9 grams of protein and a jaw-dropping 8 grams of dietary fiber. Lentils are also a good source of iron and an excellent source of folate.

Lentils With Red Wine and Herbs

With herbs and a scattering of mâche (a sweet and tender green), the stewy lentils become a perfect combination of soup and salad. French green lentils work best here.

If you want to get the most nutritional bang for your buck, the best deals are "superfoods". These nutritional superstars are far more plentiful in nutrients than they are in calories and that research has shown deliver health benefits. You're probably already eating a lot of everyday superfoods—like bananas, eggs and broccoli—and maybe even some exotic ones (acai, anyone?).

But what about the power-packed foods filled with good-for-you vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals you aren't eating?

Check out the slideshow above for 7 of the healthiest foods that you should be eating with accompanying recipes to get you started. For another awesome recipe incorporating two of these amazing ingredients check out our friends at StyleList!